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Hollows series
The Hollows series, aka the Rachel Morgan Series by Kim Harrison. Genres and Sub-Genres Dark Urban Fantasy Series Description or Overview ✥ The not-quite-kickass protagonist took another twist with 2004’s Dead Witch Walking, first in Kim Harrison’s Hollows series featuring Rachel Morgan. Rachel’s a witch living in a futuristic Cincinnati after the Turn—when a genetically engineered virus distributed through tomatoes killed a great many humans but left the Others, aka the Inderlanders, unscathed. Suddenly, the humans are outnumbered and the different species are left vying for power. In addition to the modern not-quite-kickass heroine, the Hollows series expanded the urban fantasy multiverse to include demons and elves, pixies and gargoyles, and a complex balance of power that, eleven books in, has yet to be unraveled. Relationships also became a big part of the urban fantasy story in this series—Rachel is not a loner but has a full cast of friends, partners, and sometimes-allies with which to interact. ~ Heroes and Heartbreakers ❖ Rachel Mariana Morgan is a powerful earth witch in Cincinnati, a city divided into the human side north of the Ohio River and the Hollows (the supernatural, or Inderlander, side) south of the river. Rachel is an urban fantasy heroine, so naturally her childhood had some imperfections—most importantly, a potentially fatal disease and some genetic experimentation, which have had an ever-increasing influence on the rest of her life. Throughout the series, Rachel is constantly torn between her white-witch (good) side and her dark-witch (demonic) side, with the dark side slowly growing in influence no matter how hard she fights it. Each time Rachel uses dark (demon) magic, more smut gets added to her aura. ~ Fang-tastic ❖ ▶ Kim Harrison's The Hollows Adventure - YouTube Lead's Species * Daywalking Demon Primary Supe * Witches/Demons What Sets it Apart *Well-thoughtout and complex magic system. Everything is connected Narrative Type and Narrators * first person narrative told by Rachel Mariana Morgan. Books in Series The Hollows/Rachel Morgan Series: # Dead Witch Walking (2004) # The Good, the Bad, and the Undead (2005) # Every Which Way But Dead (2005) # A Fistful of Charms (2006) # For a Few Demons More (2007) # The Outlaw Demon Wails (2008) # White Witch, Black Curse (2009) # Black Magic Sanction (2010) # Pale Demon (Feb 2011) # A Perfect Blood (Feb 2012) # Ever After (January 22nd 2013) # The Undead Pool (Feb 25th 2014) # The Witch With No Name (September 9th 2014) ~ Final Shorts and Anthologies *2.5. “Undead in the Garden of Good and Evil” in Dates From Hell anthology (2006) (Ivy's backstory, Vampire Art) *4.5. “Dirty Magic” in Hotter Than Hell anthology (2008) (Mia) *5.5. “Two Ghosts for Sister Rachel” in Holidays are Hell anthology (2007) (Rachel, Robbie, Pierce) *6.5. “The Bespelled” in: The Outlaw Demon Wails (2008) and Into the Woods (2012) (Ceri, Al) *7.5. “Ley Line Drifter” in Unbound anthology (2009) and Bis *9.5 The Hollows Insider (Nov 2011) ~ Series Guide *10.1. Into the Woods: Tales from the Hollows and Beyond (Oct 12, 2012) ~ Collection of Rachel Morgan shorts *10.5. "Trouble on Reserve" (2012) eShort (Rachel, Trent) World Building Setting * Cincinnati, OH, ''' * '''The Hollows: Part of Cincinnati where Inderlanders live * The Ever After: The demon realm ✥ It takes place in Cincinnati, a city divided into the human side north of the Ohio River and the Hollows (the supernatural, or Inderlander, side) south of the river. ~ Fang-tastic Places: * Lake Michigan * Mackinac Island * FIB Headquarters * Alcatraz Island (bk-8) * San Francisco, CA (bk-8) Supernatural Elements Para-bounty hunter, witches, Inderlanders (non-humans), vampires, demons, weres, warlocks, wizards, para-detectives, pixies, faeries, gargoyle, elves, banshees, banshee tears, earth-witch, ley lines, shape-changing assassins, creatures, ancient evil, ancient artifact, crime lord, vampire drug, purgatory, black magic, underworld, apocalypse, dark arts, ley line, elven tycoon, gods, pack, savage beasts, ancient knowledge Glossary * Inderlanders: term used for non-human species: witches, vampires, weres and others * High Blood Vampires: those born with the virus, stronger, will automatically become undead vampires when they die (more below) * Low Blood Vampires: who are humans that have been turned into living vampires they need to be finally turned into undead when they die by another vampire or they die (more below) * Undead Vampires: traditional—unable to bear sunlight, afraid of crosses, no conscience, potential for evil * Camarillas: group of chosen followers or peons of a Master Vampire * Ley-line Witch: A witch who uses ley line energy (energy from the demon realm) in order to power her magic. * Familiar: an animal chosen by a Ley-line Witch, used for the magic * Demonic Familiar: Demons use snared Inderlanders from their magic to absorb the "black smut" so it won't dirty their own souls. * Norms: Humans * Brimstone: An illegal drug that some Inderlanders (particularly vampires) take. * T4 Angel: Virus that wiped out 1/4 of humanity 40 years ago * Evulgo: The word demons used to publicly acknowledge and register a curse; very few people know it * Rosewood Syndrome: A fatal genetic disease that some witches are born with. Rachel and one other witch are the only known survivors. * Wizard: human that practices magic * Ever After: demon realm Species ✦ Humans : Humans are called "Norms"—they were the majority of the population on the world for much of the past history, but when the T4 Angel virus hit, their numbers were knocked down. They still outnumber the other races, but aren’t as dominant as they once were. ✦ Witches : The witches of the Hollows aren’t just humans that can do magic, they are actually another species, and can’t interbreed with the humans at all. Rachel Morgan, the narrator and primary character is a witch. ✦ Vampires : There are several varieties and though they all can, and will drink blood, their power levels are very different, as well as statuses among themselves. : Living vampires are alive, but infected with a vampire virus. The living vampires are divided into two types: :: ✧ High-blood Vampires: those born with the virus :: ✧ Low-blood vampires: those infected with the virus by a vampire :High-blood vampires are stronger since they were infected with the virus while in the womb, and they will automatically become regular, undead vampires when they die, unless killed twice. Low-blood vampires rely upon the blood of an undead vampire for power, and if not turned by a vampire at the moment of death, will become permanently dead. — Ivy, one of the primary characters is a high-blood, living vampire from an important family line. : Undead vampires are living vampires that have died. They lose their souls when they die, have much more power than the living vampires, and rely on blood. The older they get the more powerful they are. : Vampires rely on social hierarchies that are ruled by master vampires who control certain territories. The master vampires have groups called camarillas, that are made up of their chosen followers or peons. ✦ Pixies : Pixies are a small, humanoid race, that live in gardens where they survive on plants and pollen. They have wings and can fly, and are often used for surveillance and in roles where their small size allows them access that would otherwise be denied. They have person-sized personalities, just packed into smaller bodies. They also have an intense rivalry with a similar species, the fairies, whom they battle for control of gardens. Jenks, the third primary character, is a pixie, and him, his wife, and their kids, live behind the church in the garden in a tree stump. ✦ Fairies : Fairies are another small, humanoid race that live in gardens, but they survive by catching insects for their food instead of using plants, and will demolish a garden very quickly in their pursuit of prey. ✦ Weres : It hasn’t been revealed yet how many types of weres there are, but the series primarily deals with werewolves, or Weres. Weres are born Weres, and are not made by someone getting bitten. They can change shape whenever they wish, though they are very much influenced by the moon cycles. ✦ Demons : Demons do not live on the same plane as the humans and Inderlanders. They live in a place called the Everafter, and very rarely cross over into the regular world. When they do it is usually because they have been called by a human or Inderlander in a summoning. They are not the religious version of demons, but are instead just another race, they do not appear red, or devil-like unless they wish to pretend that way, but normally look more like regular people, though they often take the appearance of a person’s worst fear. ~ The Hollows Series by Kim Harrison Magic in the Hollows World Earth Magic :Earth magic is what we typically think of when we think of witches and magic. It is the use of the energy in natural things to make spells. The life energy in plants is used to do most of the spells, though black witches may also use animals or even people to power theirs. Though it takes more time to prepare, earth magic is more powerful than ley line and can permanently change things, unless doused in saltwater. Ley Line Magic :Ley line magic uses natural lines of power, called ley lines, to power spells. It relies on having access to the ley lines, as well as the ability to handle the power involved which involves familiars, so has its drawbacks, but is usually more immediate and more adaptable to different situations. Demon Magic :Demon magic combines earth magic with ley line magic, and is practiced primarily by the demons and their familiars, which unlike in regular ley line magic aren’t animals, but are usually snared Inderlanders. Demon magic is much more powerful and quick, but involves a harsh penalty, black smut on the practitioner’s soul. Thus demons use familiars to do much of the work or to take the penalty so their own souls stay cleaner. ~ The Hollows Series by Kim Harrison 'Organizations & Groups': * FIB: Federal Inderland Bureau: run by the humans and I.S.—the human organization that investigates crimes involving paranormals * I.S.: Inderland Security: the inderland organization that investigates crimes involving paranormals; run by the supernaturals * Vampiric Charms: freelance runner service—business run by Rachel, Ivy and Jenks; Ivy is the owner * HAPA: Humans Against Paranormals Association * The Men-who-don't-belong: A secret organization World ❖ The Hollows book series features three main characters, Rachel Morgan, an earth witch, Ivy Tamwood, a living vampire, and Jenks, a cocky little pixie. These three live in a world that’s similar to ours, with one huge difference, a virus caused by genetically-modified tomatoes killed off much of the human population many years ago. This equalized the numbers between the Inderlanders, the witches, vampires, and other non-human species hidden among us, and the humans. That made the Inderlanders no longer as vastly outnumbered. The chaos from the plague and the more even numbers caused the Inderlanders to come to a decision. They came forth and revealed themselves. This time was called The Turn. Now, the Inderlanders live openly among the humans, mostly. ~ The Hollows Series by Kim Harrison ❖ In this world, a virus spread through biogenetically engineered tomatoes 40 years ago, wiping out a quarter of the world’s human population and leaving the world almost equally divided between humans and supernatural beings. This event is referred to as the Turn, reflecting the supernaturals’ decision to go public and demand equal power. Currently, distrust and animosity run deep between the two groups. Two agencies police the masses: the Federal Inderland Bureau (FIB), run by the humans, and Inderland Security (I.S.), run by the supernaturals. Rachel starts out as an I.S. bounty hunter, but quits to make it on her own. Throughout the series, the I.S. is constantly on her back, making life difficult for Rachel and her friends. Rachel’s partners throughout the series include her roommate, Ivy, a bisexual vampire who yearns for Rachel to be her scion (causing a number of sensual blood-lust scenes), and Jenks, a male pixy, who lives in Rachel’s garden with his wife and fifty-four children. When Rachel and Ivy move into a desanctified church, they inherit Bis, a young gargoyle who serves as a sentinel. Other ongoing characters are Algaliarept (“Al”), the demon who’s out to drag Rachel back to the hellish ever-after as his slave; Trent Kalamack, a dangerous, drug-dealing, elven mobster who has know Rachel since childhood; Quentin, Trent’s bodyguard; and Ceri, Al’s former slave. Supporting characters in the early books include Nick, Rachel’s ne’er-do-well human boyfriend; Kisten, Rachel’s vampire lover; and David, her werewolf friend and pack alpha. A supporting character (and love interest) in the later books is Pierce, a black witch who was buried alive by the Coven and resurrected by Rachel. Among these characters, the one who changes the most during the series is Trent, who begins as Rachel's bitter enemy but eventually becomes her friend...and more. Plots include near-constant demon, vampire, and werewolf battles as Rachel battles the bad guys and gets closer and closer to losing her soul each time she is tempted to use black (demon) magic. Levels of sensuality vary widely from book to book, depending upon Rachel's current romantic situation. In terms of read-alikes, the series has some close parallels to Jim Butcher's HARRY DRESDEN FILES. Another series in which a witch battles her dark side is Stacia Kane's DOWNSIDE GHOSTS series. ~ Fang-tastic Fiction: Kim Harrison: THE HOLLOWS Protagonists Rachel Mariana Morgan: The narrative is told in first person by Rachel, who is a kind of supernatural Stephanie Plum. For anyone who isn’t familiar with Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series (no vampires there!) Stephanie Plum is a bounty hunter from New Jersey who always solves the mystery in the story and gets her man – just. Stephanie lurches from disaster to disaster but with the help of her family and friends always comes up smelling of roses. In many ways Rachel is similar. She has a boss who hates her and career that goes to new lows even when she thinks it can’t get worse (I think we’ve all been there!) She has a habit of accidentally cocking up simple things but with Rachel there is more scope for things to go wrong because she is a witch. She also has a great set of friends who help her out of tight spots. ~ I Love Vampires Rachel is a witch initially working as a runner for the Inderland Security (I.S.) service. She procures three wishes from a leprechaun she apprehends on her last run for the Inderlander Security service and uses a wish to get her independence. She makes a deal with the living vampire Ivy Tamwood and the pixy Jenks to give them the remaining wishes for their assistance in leaving the I.S. After creating the Vampiric Charms freelance runner service, Ivy and Jenks become her partners in taking various runs, or 'missions', both together and separately. In earlier books, she works to remove a death bounty placed on her by her former employer as well as freeing herself from a demon's curse. In the most recent books, Rachel finds herself learning about and using ley line and demon magic, both in order to do her job and protect her life and the lives of her friends and family. She is deeply ambivalent about using dark magic, but she will continue to do so when she finds it necessary. ✥ Ivy Tamwood: A living vampire who works with Rachel at the I.S. and follows her into freelance work. Ivy is six feet tall, elegantly thin, and very pale with long black hair and an Oriental cast. Ivy struggles with her vampiric nature on a personal level, and she also attempts to keep Rachel from other vampires and adversaries. She is bisexual and harbors a deep longing and affection for Rachel. She is deeply devoted to Rachel and Jenks, doing whatever it takes for them to be safe and happy, especially Rachel. Ivy is the last living vampire of the Tamwood family, and she is a sort of prodigy under her old master vampire Piscary. ✥ Jenks: A pixy who joins Rachel and Ivy in their freelance business, Vampiric Charms. He often provides the comedy in the novels as well as working as a saboteur, electronics expert, and spy. He is always watching out for Rachel, worries about her and Ivy's interactions, as well as the men who come into her life as they usually turn out to be untrustworthy. When joining Rachel in her life post-I.S., he uses his wish to make himself sterile in order to prevent his wife from leaving him; they have 54 children, and she would not survive having more. Nearing the maximum life expectancy for pixies, he worries about what will happen to both his family and his partners after he is gone; Rachel unknowingly resets his life span with a transformation curse. His wife, Matalina, dies. Jenks is something of a pixy pioneer, going where no pixy has gone before. He also owns the church the partners all live in. Book Cover Blurbs ✤ BOOK ONE BLURB—Dead Witch Walking: “All the creatures of the night gather in ‘the Hollows’ of Cincinnati, to hide, to prowl, to party…and to feed. Vampires rule the darkness in a predator-eat-predator world rife with dangers beyond imagining—and it’s Rachel Morgan’s job to keep that world civilized. A bounty hunter and witch with serious sex appeal and an attitude, she’ll bring ‘em back alive, dead…or undead.” ~ Excerpt ✥ The underground population of witches, vampires, werewolves – creatures of dreams and nightmares – has lived beside humans for centuries, hiding their powers. But after a genetically engineered virus wipes out a large part of humanity, many of the “Inderlanders” reveal themselves, changing everything. Rachel Morgan, witch and bounty hunter with the Inderland Runner Services, is one of the best at apprehending supernatural lawbreakers throughout Cincinnati, but when it comes to following the rules, she falls desperately short. Determined to buck the system, she quits and takes off on the run with an I.S. contract on her head and is reluctantly forced to team up with Ivy, Inderland’s best runner…and a living vampire. But this witch is way out of her league, and to clear her name, Rachel must evade shape-changing assassins, outwit a powerful businessman/crime lord, and survive a vicious underground fight-to-the-death… not to mention her own roommate. ~ Exina Art: Review: Dead Witch Walking ✤ BOOK TWO BLURB—'The Good, the Bad, and the Undead (2005): It's a tough life for witch Rachel Morgan, sexy, independent bounty hunter, prowling the darkest shadows of downtown Cincinnati for criminal creatures of the night. She can handle the leather-clad vamps and even tangle with a cunning demon or two. But a serial killer who feeds on the experts in the most dangerous kind of black magic is definitely pressing the limits. Confronting an ancient, implacable evil is more than just child's play—and this time, Rachel will be lucky to escape with her very soul. — It was awarded the distinction of being P.E.A.R.L.s (Paranormal Excellence Award for Romantic Literature) Best Science Fiction for 2005. ~ Excerpt ✤ BOOK THREE BLURB—Every Which Way But Dead (2005): There's no witch in Cincinnati tougher, sexier, or more screwed up than bounty hunter Rachel Morgan, who's already put her love life and soul in dire jeopardy through her efforts to bring criminal night creatures to justice. Between "runs," she has her hands full fending off the attentions of her blood-drinking partner, keeping a deadly secret from her backup, and resisting a new vamp suitor. Rachel must also take a stand in the war that's raging in the city's underworld, since she helped put away its former vampire kingpin—and made a deal with a powerful demon to do so that could cost her an eternity of pain, torment, and degradation. And now her dark "master" is coming to collect his due. ~ Excerpt ✤ BOOK FOUR BLURB—A Fistful of Charms (2006): The evil night things that prowl Cincinnati despise witch and bounty hunter Rachel Morgan. Her new reputation for the dark arts is turning human and undead heads alike with the intent to possess, bed, and kill her—not necessarily in that order. Now a mortal lover who abandoned Rachel has returned, haunted by his secret past. And there are those who covet what Nick possesses—'savage beasts' willing to destroy the Hollows and everyone in it if necessary. Forced to keep a low profile or eternally suffer the wrath of a vengeful demon, Rachel must nevertheless act quickly. For the pack is gathering for the first time in millennia to ravage and to rule. And suddenly more than Rachel's soul is at stake. ~ Excerpt ✤ BOOK FIVE BLURB—For a Few Demons More (2007): Despite dating one vampire and living with another, Rachel Morgan has managed to stay just ahead of trouble . . . until now. A fiendish serial killer stalks the Hollows, and the resulting terror ignites a vicious Inderland gang war. And while the ancient artifact Rachel is hiding may be the key to stopping the murderer, revealing it could also create a battle to the death among the numerous supernatural races that live in and around Cincinnati. For every action has its price, and when the vampire master, Piscary, is set free and the demonic Algaliarept dares to walk openly under the sun, even Rachel Morgan can't hide forever. ~ Excerpt ✤ BOOK SIX BLURB—The Outlaw Demon Wails (2008): To save the lives of her friends, Rachel did the unthinkable: she willingly trafficked in forbidden demon magic. And now her sins are coming home to haunt her. As Rachel searches for the truth behind a terrifying murder, an even greater menace threatens, for the demon Algaliarept will stop at nothing to claim her, and the discovery of a shocking family secret throws Rachel's entire life into question. If she is ever to live free, Rachel must first walk willingly into the demonic ever-after in search of long-lost ancient knowledge. But when you dance with demons, you lay your soul on the line . . . and there are some lines that should never be crossed. ~ Excerpt ✤ BOOK SEVEN BLURB—White Witch, Black Curse (2009): Some wounds take time to heal . . . and some scars never fade. Rachel Morgan, kick-ass witch and bounty hunter, has taken her fair share of hits, and has broken lines she swore she would never cross. But when her lover was murdered, it left a deeper wound than Rachel ever imagined, and now she won't rest until his death is solved . . . and avenged. Whatever the cost. Yet the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and when a new predator moves to the apex of the Inderlander food chain, Rachel's past comes back to haunt her. Literally. ~ Excerpt ✤ BOOK EIGHT BLURB—Black Magic Sanction (2010): Rachel Morgan has fought and hunted vampires, werewolves, banshees, demons, and other supernatural dangers as both witch and bounty hunter—and lived to tell the tale. But she's never faced off against her own kind . . . until now. Denounced and shunned for dealing with demons and black magic, her best hope is life imprisonment—at worst, a forced lobotomy and genetic slavery. Only her enemies are strong enough to help her win her freedom, but trust comes hard when it hinges on the unscrupulous tycoon Trent Kalamack, the demon Algaliarept, and an ex-boyfriend turned thief. It takes a witch to catch a witch, but survival bears a heavy price. ~ Excerpt ✤ BOOK NINE BLURB—Pale Demon (Feb 2011): Condemned and shunned for black magic, Rachel Morgan has three days to get to the annual witches’ conference and clear her name, or be trapped in the demonic ever-after . . . forever after. But after centuries of torment, a fearsome demon walks in the sunlight—freed to slay the innocent and devour their souls. But his ultimate goal is Rachel Morgan, and in the fight for survival, even embracing her own demonic nature may not be enough to save her. ~ Excerpt ✤ BOOK TEN BLURB—A Perfect Blood (Feb 2012): Ritually murdered corpses are appearing across Cincinnati, terrifying amalgams of human and other. Pulled in by the FIB to help investigate, former witch-turned-'day-walking demon' Rachel Morgan soon realizes a horrifying truth: others want to create their own demons, and to do so they need her blood. She’s faced vampires, witches, werewolves, demons, and more—but this time Rachel’s toughest challenge might be humanity itself. ~ Excerpt ✤ BOOK ELEVEN BLURB—Ever After (2013): The ever-after, the demonic realm that parallels the human world, is shrinking. If it disappears completely, so does all magic. It's up to witch-turned-daywalking-demon Rachel Morgan to keep life from changing for the worse. There's also the small fact that she caused the ley line to rip in the first place. Her life forfeit unless she can fix it. It's also made her more than a few enemies, including the most powerful demon in the ever after—a terrifying entity who eats souls and now has an insatiable appetite for her. He's already kidnapped her friend and goddaughter to lure her out. But Rachel has more than a few impressive skills of her own, and she isn't going to hand over her soul and her life without one hell of a fight. With her unlikely ally, elven tycoon Trent Kalamack, beside her she's going to return to the ever after, kick some demon butt, rescue her loved ones . . . and prevent an apocalypse before it's too late. Or, at least that's the plan. ~ Excerpt ✤ BOOK TWELVE BLURB—The Undead Pool (Feb 2014):Witch and day-walking demon Rachel Morgan has managed to save the demonic ever after from shrinking, but at a high cost. Now strange magic is attacking Cincinnati and the Hollows, causing spells to backfire or go horribly wrong, and the truce between the races, between Inderlander and human, is shattering. Rachel must stop the occurrences before the undead vampire masters who keep the rest of the undead under control are lost and it becomes all-out supernatural war. However, the only way to do so is through the ancient elven wild magic, which carries its own perils. ~ Excerpt ✤ BOOK THIRTEEN BLURB—The Witch With No Name (Sept 9, 2014) ~ Final: Rachel Morgan's come a long way from the clutzy runner of Dead Witch Walking. She's faced vampires and werewolves, banshees, witches, and soul-eating demons. She's crossed worlds, channeled gods, and accepted her place as a day-walking demon. She's lost friends and lovers and family, and an old enemy has become something much more. But power demands responsibility, and world-changers must always pay a price. That time is now. To save Ivy's soul and the rest of the living vampires, to keep the demonic ever after and our own world from destruction, Rachel Morgan will risk everything. ~ Excerpt Awards 1. Dead Witch Walking (2004): * Romantic Times Best Fantasy (2004) * P.E.A.R.L's (2004: Best Science Fiction) 3. Every Which Way But Dead (2005): * Nominated for P.E.A.R.L.s (2005: Best Science Fiction) 4. A Fistful of Charms (2006) * Romantic Times Best Modern-Day Fantasy (2006) * Nominated for P.E.A.R.L.s (2006: SF/Fantasy) 5. For a Few Demons More (2007) * Romantic Times Best Urban Fantasy Protagonist (2007) * Nominated for P.E.A.R.L.s (2007: Paranormal Romance) 7. White Witch, Black Curse (2009) * Nominated for P.E.A.R.L.s (2009: Urban Fantasy) 8. Black Magic Sanction (2010) * Top Ten Best Paranormal Fantasies of 2010 at B&N (#5) 9. Pale Demon (2011) * B&N (2011: Paranormal Fantasies Releases, #1) 11. Ever After (2013) * 12. The Undead Pool (2014) * 13.The Witch with No Name (Sept 9, 2014) Category:Series